Amsterdam & Partners LLP Condemns Extension of Samvel Karapetyan’s Detention; Warns of Deepening Authoritarianism in Armenia

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amsterdam & Partners LLP, acting as international counsel to Armenian businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, condemns today’s court order extending his detention, understanding it as a clear demonstration of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s tightening grip over the judiciary.

The decision follows a coordinated sequence of actions, including yesterday’s removal of the operating license from the Electric Network of Armenia and the announcement of the ruling by an outlet owned by the Prime Minister’s family before any decision was announced by the court. These developments collectively show that the outcome was predetermined and that executive interference has become routine.

Founder and Managing Partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, Robert Amsterdam, commented: “The government’s behaviour demonstrates the emergence of a judicial dictatorship in Armenia. The authorities are using the courts to punish critics, intimidate independent voices and dismantle alternative centres of influence. This is a deliberate display of control meant to signal that no one is beyond the prime minister’s reach.”

Mr. Karapetyan has been detained since June for publicly defending the Armenian Apostolic Church. His case reflects a wider campaign against clergy, journalists, opposition figures and civic leaders, many of whom have been arrested or targeted through administrative pressure.

“This is a day of shame for Armenia,” Amsterdam added. “The country is witnessing a government that appears increasingly willing to mirror the repressive tactics of President Aliyev in its treatment of Christian figures. Such conduct represents a profound betrayal of European values and the democratic aspirations of the Armenian people.”

Amsterdam & Partners LLP calls on democratic governments and international institutions to demand concrete steps to restore judicial independence and end politically motivated prosecutions.

Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm based in London and Washington, DC, specialising in political advocacy, international disputes and human rights. For more information on this case, please visit www.freekarapetyan.com and for information on the firm, see www.amsterdamandpartners.com.